Ecological & Biological Surveys
Baseline, habitat and protected species
Terrestrial and aquatic ecology surveys establishing what is present before a project proceeds, and what that means for it.
Ecology runs on the calendar, not the programme
Ecological surveys can only be done when the ecology is there to be surveyed. Breeding birds, flowering plants and migratory species each have a window, and missing it means waiting a year rather than paying more.
This is why ecology so often ends up on a project's critical path. Commissioned early it is straightforward; commissioned late it delays everything behind it.
What the surveys cover
Habitat mapping and condition
Extent, type and condition of habitats across the site, which forms the baseline every later assessment refers back to.
Protected species assessment
Targeted survey for species with legal protection, where presence changes what a project is permitted to do.
Bird surveys
Breeding, wintering and migratory surveys, timed to the relevant season, particularly important along migration corridors.
Aquatic and marine ecology
Benthic, intertidal and freshwater surveys where a project affects water bodies or the coastline.
Ecological impact assessment
Predicted effects on habitats and species, with mitigation designed against them and residual impact stated.
How the work runs
Scope
Desk study and site walkover establish which surveys are actually needed.
Time
Surveys are scheduled into the correct seasonal windows.
Survey
Fieldwork is carried out to recognised methodology and fully recorded.
Assess
Findings are evaluated and mitigation designed where required.
Specialist work is judged on method, not on volume.
Have your conditions reviewedWhat you get out of it
Seasonal windows respected
Surveys are scheduled when the ecology is actually present, because outside the window they are not valid.
Scoped by desk study first
A walkover and records search establish which surveys are genuinely needed before any are commissioned.
Recognised methodology
Fieldwork follows established method, since reviewers examine how a survey was done before what it found.
Commissioned early
Ecology is the item most likely to delay a programme, so we flag the windows at the outset.
Which projects need ecology
Coastal and marine developments
Anything at the shoreline attracts marine and intertidal survey requirements, and habitat work is typically the longest lead item in the programme.
Discuss your siteLarge infrastructure
Roads, pipelines and transmission corridors cross habitats, and route selection can often avoid the worst of it if the survey comes early enough.
Discuss your siteQuarries and extraction
Both the operational footprint and the rehabilitation plan need an ecological baseline to work from.
Discuss your siteRenewable energy projects
Wind and solar developments in particular attract bird and bat survey requirements, and these are seasonal.
Discuss your siteDevelopments near protected areas
Proximity to a designated area raises the assessment threshold considerably, whatever the project's own footprint.
Discuss your siteSites with restoration commitments
Restoration targets need a baseline to be measured against, or there is no way to demonstrate success.
Discuss your siteCommon questions
When can ecological surveys be done?
What happens if a protected species is found?
How long is a survey valid?
Can desk study replace field survey?
When should ecology be commissioned?
Not sure what your permit requires?
Send us the conditions and we will tell you exactly which parameters, methods and frequencies apply. No charge for the review.